The Israeli Parliament recently passed legislation to bar public calls for a boycott against Israel or its West Bank settlements, according to the New York Times. The law’s supporters said it was necessary to push back against what they described as a strategy to delegitimize Israel in the eyes of the world.
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The state of Vermont has taken a big step in the direction of more open government by amending its FOI law to allow for awards of attorney's fees to successful requesters. Why does this matter? Recalcitrant government agencies generally are not at risk for penalties for improperly withholding records. (Indeed, one can argue that they actually have disincentives to disclose, but that's another matter.) Few requesters, having been denied records, have the motivation and financial resources to hire a lawyer and file suit.
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